Exploded Assembly

[ptc-3017729]

Is there a way to explode an assembly without having the sub-assemblies explode as well? I have a pretty large assembly and I want to have the sub-assemblies intact so that it is easier to see where they go relative to each other. But when I hit the exploded view, it explodes all the parts. So I just want to be able to show where the sub-assemblies go relative to each other, and then I plan to do exploded views on those sub-assemblies in their respective assembly files. I hope I am making sense. I would appreciate any advice. Thanks.
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[ptc-154724]

David, Before I try to give an answer to your question, I have a question for you. When you talk about the exploded assembly, are you looking to make an exploded state view in the model, or are you adding a view to the drawing, then changing its properties to be an exploded view. Dennis

[ptc-3017729]

Hi Dennis, I'm talking about an exploded state view in the model.

[JosephLord]

I would also like to know this. When I have manually exploded an assembly with sub assemblies, each individual part is treated independantly. Its anoying, whe have screws with intergrated washers, so they are essensially one part but made from two parts, a screw and a washer. When I drag each part to explode, I have to move the washer and screw seperatly, even though they are a subassembly. I want to move the sub assembly as a whole.

[ptc-154724]

David & Joseph, I am not sure how you handle this, when making exploded views in the model. I have always, and most people where I work (at least in Farmington), have always made exploded views in the drawings. This way we can move items and get the sub-assemblies to move as one. It is also easier to get the view to fit on the drawings for us this way. Sorry I could not be of any more help. Dennis

[RodneyDecker-di]

When creating exploded views in the model I have selected the sub-assembly from the model tree and the entire assembly moves as a single unit. Also, you could try right clicking to query select what you want, the dashboard will give you the name of the component(s) highlighted, and left clicking with select your choice. Hope this helps. Rodney Decker WF3 M140

[ptc-3017729]

Dennis, Can you tell me the way you do exploded views in the drawings then? I'd like to know how to do it that way if I can't do it in the model. Thanks.

[ptc-3017729]

Also, thanks Rodney, that tip helps a good bit as well.

[PhilipRoy]

Hey there; Once you're in the Exploded Position menu, click the "Preferences" button near the bottom. There you can click to either "move one" or "move many". If you click the "move many", then you can simply select the sub assemblies in the model tree along the left, and move them all as one. I hope this answers your question. In my experience, it is the best idea to do this all at the "assembly" level.

[PhilipRoy]

Just an addition to my previous post. You to move two parts at the same time, simply click the first part, then crtl+click the second etc, then click ok, and they will move as one. Hope it helped!

[CBenner]

I created an exploded state in my model. The default explode put some parts in the wrong order so I edited and moved them around. Now when I try to apply that state in the drawing view, the parts I moved revert back to their original (wrong) position in both the model and the drawing. It doesn't matter how much I manipulate them, they go right back where they started. Any thoughts?

[HatimAbdul]

Chris, I never rely on the "default explode" even if I edit it. I normally create a user-defined one with a given name and explode from scratch. I guess you can edit the defaullt explode and make sure you save it. Better yet, save-as it.

[ptc-2151062]

To clarify, the "save" or "save-as" Hatim refers to is in the View Manager Window (Explode Tab), in the Edit drop down. After you set your exploded components, save the view there and also save your model with File > Save. Andri

[HatimAbdul]

Thanks Andri. Yes that's what I meant of course. I guess I took it for granted we were talking about the view manager operations

[GunnarHansen]

Before making the explode state I always do it from an unexploded state. This way when you start everything is NOT exploded. After thet, when you modify this explode you can pick whatever you like: prt or (sub) asm to move. I have two mapkeys: Modify explode: mx save explode : sx mx ends up asking for the PLANE NORMAL for moving direction. Increment "snap" is set to 10. sx will save the explode! mapkey mx @MAPKEY_LABELmodify explode;\ mapkey(continued) ~ Select `main_dlg_cur` `MenuBar1`1 `View`;\ mapkey(continued) ~ Close `main_dlg_cur` `MenuBar1`;\ mapkey(continued) ~ Activate `main_dlg_cur` `View.push_view_vistool`;\ mapkey(continued) ~ Select `visual_dlg0` `RadioSelApplMgr`1 `explode`;\ mapkey(continued) ~ Select `main_dlg_cur` `MenuBar1`1 `View`;\ mapkey(continued) ~ Select `main_dlg_cur` `View.ExplodeCascadeBtn`;\ mapkey(continued) ~ Close `main_dlg_cur` `View.ExplodeCascadeBtn`;\ mapkey(continued) ~ Select `main_dlg_cur` `View.ExplodeCascadeBtn`;\ mapkey(continued) ~ Close `main_dlg_cur` `MenuBar1`;\ mapkey(continued) ~ Close `main_dlg_cur` `View.ExplodeCascadeBtn`;\ mapkey(continued) ~ Activate `main_dlg_cur` `EditPositionBtn`;~ Open `mod_exp` `transopt`;\ mapkey(continued) ~ Close `mod_exp` `transopt`;~ Select `mod_exp` `transopt`1 `10`;\ mapkey(continued) ~ Open `mod_exp` `directoptions`;~ Close `mod_exp` `directoptions`;\ mapkey(continued) ~ Select `mod_exp` `directoptions`1 `Plane Normal`; mapkey sx @MAPKEY_LABELsave explode;~ Activate `mod_exp` `okbutton`;\ mapkey(continued) ~ RButtonArm `visual_dlg0` `Table`2 `exp0001` `name_column`;\ mapkey(continued) ~ PopupOver `visual_dlg0` `EditPanel`1 `Table`;\ mapkey(continued) ~ Open `visual_dlg0` `EditPanel`;~ Close `visual_dlg0` `EditPanel`;\ mapkey(continued) ~ Select `visual_dlg0` `EditCascBtn`;~ Close `visual_dlg0` `EditCascBtn`;\ mapkey(continued) ~ Activate `visual_dlg0` `Save`;~ Activate `save_views_dlg` `ok`;\ mapkey(continued) ~ Activate `visual_dlg0` `CloseBtn`;

[Dale_Rosema]

When you talk about starting from an unexploded state, how do you do this. When I click on edit position from the unexploded state, the parts move to the default exploded position.

Thanks, Dale

[Dale_Rosema]

Here is a link to a youtube video that showed me the tab for making the custom exploded view that I could them modify. I may have to make the mapkeys for saving the exploded view - I like that idea.

http://vimeo.com/6865187